New app designed to curb arm injuries

By By The Sports Xchange

Published On: May 30 2014 05:15:39 PM CDT

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews and physical therapist Dr. Kevin Wilk have teamed up to develop an iOS application aimed at educating youth athletes, parents and coaches on how to prevent throwing injuries, according to ESPN.

Andrews has performed numerous Tommy John surgeries on the elbows of baseball players and Wilk, his longtime colleague, has overseen the rehabilitation of many of those athletes.

Andrews and Wilk wanted to come up with a way of helping youth athletes avoid arm injuries in light of the growing number of those having Tommy John surgery at progressively younger ages.

The app, Throw Like a Pro, is expected to be released in a few weeks. It will include four main features, all centered on scientific data and input from Andrews and Wilk.

Some sections include: recommendations for pitchers from the American Sports Medicine Institute such as focusing on proper mechanics instead of velocity; a preseason prep guide and pregame warmup routine; and a pitch counter and rest calculator.

Wilk said the goal of the app is to reduce shoulder and elbow injuries to youth baseball players while improving their throwing ability.

"Hopefully this will help them to play at peak performance without injury," Wilk said, "so they can pursue their baseball aspirations in a healthy manner."

Andrews sees the app as a way of educating players and their families and coaches about how to prevent the overuse of young arms.

"I'm really excited," Andrews said. "For the first time, kids and parents everywhere will have access to the information and routines that we hope will put an end to this epidemic."

Twenty major-leaguers have had Tommy John surgery since the beginning of this season.

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